Reuters Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Investigators still seeking key answers in Alec Baldwin shooting case

Authorities investigating the movie-set shooting by Alec Baldwin will ask for a ballistics analysis they hope will help answer the key question of what type of material was discharged from the gun that killed a cinematographer. Investigators have spoken with the person in charge of weapons on the set, known as an armorer, and are conducting additional interviews with potential witnesses, Juan Rios, spokesman for the Santa Fe Sheriff's Department, said on Monday.

Somali drama wins Pan-African film festival grand prize

Somalia's entry "The Gravedigger's Wife" by Finish-Somali writer-director Khadar Ayderus Ahmed won the prestigious Stallion of Yennenga grand prize for best film at the Pan-African film festival in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Sunday. The poignant drama about a gravedigger's struggles to raise money to pay for his wife's surgery, took home the 20 million franc CFA ($35,714) prize money and the golden stallion statue.

New Mexico, site of Baldwin set shooting, plays key role for Hollywood

The dusty desert landscapes of New Mexico have provided the perfect backdrop for Hollywood Westerns, but the state also has served as a filming location for everything from drug-dealing drama "Breaking Bad" to sci-fi mystery "Stranger Things." New Mexico's role in the TV and movie business was thrust into the spotlight last week when cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was fatally shot on the set of "Rust", a Western that was being filmed at the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside Santa Fe. Actor Alec Baldwin fired the prop gun that killed Hutchins after being told it was not loaded https://www.reuters.com/world/us/alec-baldwin-fired-prop-gun-that-killed-crew-member-movie-set-authorities-2021-10-22, according to authorities.

Kim Kardashian West collaborates with luxury label Fendi

Kim Kardashian West's shapewear brand, Skims, is collaborating with Fendi on a new clothing collection, the companies said on Monday. The new collection of body-hugging apparel is slated to be launched on Nov. 9 and was jointly designed by Kardashian West and British fashion designer Kim Jones, said Fendi, LVMH's Italian luxury fashion house.

Pressure mounts for ban on real guns in Hollywood after Baldwin set tragedy

The fatal shooting accident on the set of an Alec Baldwin movie has prompted calls for a ban on the use of real guns in TV shows and movies, with two producers already saying they will stop the practice. "Booksmart" film director Olivia Wilde called on Hollywood to implement what she called "Halyna's Law," and a petition urging Baldwin to take the lead in a campaign to ban the use of real firearms had attracted more than 27,000 votes by Monday.

Broadway's 'Phantom of the Opera' plots a cautious return to the stage

Meghan Picerno was back at work after 18 months of pandemic limbo, overjoyed to be singing and dancing again with her "Phantom of the Opera" castmates as they rehearsed for the return of Broadway's longest-running show. As the musical's late October reopening neared, sometimes all Picerno could think about was making it to the first curtain call unscathed by the breakthrough COVID-19 cases that had sidelined vaccinated actors at other shows.

Motor racing-Ecclestone offered ski role, agrees with Verstappen on Netflix

Ex-Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, 91 on Thursday, is adamant about one thing after being offered an advisory role by the new head of skiing's governing body -- he will not be taking to the slopes. FIS president and fellow-billionaire Johan Eliasch told reporters before the weekend's Alpine World Cup season-openers in Soelden, Austria, that he had approached Ecclestone about joining an advisory board.

'Dune' Opens to $40 Million at the Box Office. Strong Enough for a Sequel?

"Dune," an adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi epic, opened to $40.1 million at the North American box office. It's a respectable start given the ongoing pandemic and the film's unconventional theatrical debut. In addition to playing in 4,125 domestic theaters, "Dune" (like all Warner Bros. movies in 2021) premiered simultaneously on HBO Max, which might have taken a chunk out of overall ticket sales. In a milestone for the studio, "Dune" landed the biggest three-day tally for Warner Bros. since the company began its day-and-date strategy on HBO Max. "Godzilla vs. Kong," which scored a then-pandemic record $31 million in April, previously held that high-water mark. In the months in between, anticipated movies such as "The Suicide Squad," the LeBron James sports comedy "Space Jam: A New Legacy" and the musical adaptation of "In the Heights" failed to live up to box office expectations while being offered concurrently on HBO Max.

Armorer, assistant director in focus of Baldwin movie set shooting probe

As law enforcement investigates the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/director-gutted-by-death-cinematographer-accidental-shooting-2021-10-23 by actor Alec Baldwin in an accident on the set of "Rust", court records show the probe includes the movie's armorer and assistant director. Here are some details about both:

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